for the kids in the line

I don't particular enjoy writing, I like communicating. my favourite thing about being a journalist isn't finding the right words for what I want to say, it's interviewing people to hear their words. in late 2017 I was lucky to interview one of my biggest role models, julie-anne quay (founder of VFILES) for 1Granary and you should read it. here's the start.

Julie Anne Quay was taught by the best. After being hired by Esprit straight out of university and working for Australian Vogue, the Australian entrepreneur landed a job in New York for none other than Steven Meisel. In an era without social media, she experienced how great results only came from teamwork. She might not always remember whose designs they were shooting, but she will be able to give you an exact list of the people she was working with that day.

Her immense drive and compassion eventually landed her the role of executive editor of V Magazine. For most people, that’s the climax of a great fashion success story. (You already guessed it, Julie Anne Quay, often referred to by her colleagues as JAQ, isn’t “most people.”) In 2012, midst the drastic increase of social media, JAQ launched her answer to the disconnect between the fashion industry and the youth: VFILES.The first time I came in contact with VFILES was in the summer of 2015. I had just moved to New York for an internship and was roaming through SoHo during my lunch break. At the end of Mercer Street, an expensive location filled with luxury boutiques, one store was blasting out Lil Yachty. It looked like a private party inside, but the door was wide open so I just walked in, mainly seeking rescue from the brutal New York heat. I was greeted with free McDonald’s french fries, handed to me by a group of probably the best-dressed teenagers I ever laid my eyes on. People were vogue-ing and eating fries in between clothing racks filled with Hood By Air and Discount Universe. Needless to say, I didn’t go back to work that afternoon.Over two years later, I’m Skyping with JAQ, who is sitting in her bright lofty office space at 12 Mercer in SoHo, but quickly decides to relocate to the bathroom to find some privacy.